Rewriting Life
Selecting Embryos
Doctors who perform in vitro fertilization typically rely on a visual assessment of the embryos when deciding which ones to transfer into the uterus, but two-thirds of such embryos fail to implant. A new test analyzes the proteins and small-molecule metabolites in the fluid surrounding each embryo and compares the resulting metabolic profile with that of a healthy embryo. The test improves implantation rates up to 30 percent. That means doctors can transfer fewer embryos, reducing the chances of an undesired multiple pregnancy.
Courtesy of Molecular Biometrics
Product: ViaMetrics-E
Cost: $30,000 to $50,000 for the testing system in the U.S. market. (Tests will not add appreciably to the typical cost of $12,000 to $15,000 for an IVF treatment.)
Availability: Now in the U.K., Australia, Japan, Ireland, and Greece; seeking FDA approval in the U.S.
Source: www.molecularbiometrics.com
Company: Molecular Biometrics
